]]>Oolong tea, also known as Wu long, is a healthy drink that helps you lose weight. True! Drink oolong tea and lose weight.

It is said that drinking Oolong tea regularly enhances your metabolism. When you increase metabolism in a healthy way, more calories are burned and extra pounds shed off faster.

What is Oolong tea?

Coming from the Camelia Sinesis plant, oolong tea is known for its antioxidants quality. Oolong tea is prepared by a special process of fermentation which leads to semi-oxidation of the leaves.

Oolong is originated from China. Most of the current oolong production is from China and Taiwan with little coming from other regions.

How does oolong tea help to lose weight?

This tea has been discussed on shows like Oprah for its efficiency in helping people to lose weight. In many of the health shows, oolong tea has been featured as a healthy drink that sheds off those extra pounds. Drinking oolong tea for weight loss is widely known.

Polyphenols, the components found in oolong tea, are observed to activate enzymes that help dissolve adipose tissues (fat cells). The reduction of body fat and body weight is a result of improved lipid metabolism.

Additionally, according to fitness experts and dieticians, oolong tea augments the entire process of metabolism in more effective way which helps to prevent against obesity. This, in turn, results in a sleeker waistline!

]]>http://blog.enjoyingtea.com/blog/oolong-tea-to-lose-weight/feed/0Chai in India & Ceylon: It’s Beyond Just a Drinkhttp://blog.enjoyingtea.com/blog/chai-in-india-ceylon/
http://blog.enjoyingtea.com/blog/chai-in-india-ceylon/#commentsThu, 18 Jun 2015 01:44:38 +0000Administratorhttp://blog.enjoyingtea.com/?p=502“Chai” is a Hindi word for tea. Originally introduced in India by the British to end the tea monopoly in China. It soon started growing its roots in Indian culture. After the British left, chai started to dominate in India …

]]>“Chai” is a Hindi word for tea. Originally introduced in India by the British to end the tea monopoly in China. It soon started growing its roots in Indian culture. After the British left, chai started to dominate in India as a everyday drink. Ceylon (Sri Lanka) is also one of the leading countries

producing and consuming tea. It’s said that the Royal Family of the United Kingdom drinks Ceylon tea.

Amazing History

India is the second largest tea producer in the world, right after China. However, more than 70% of tea is consumed within India. Looking at the popularity and dependency, in 2013, India’s Planning Commission put plans to declare the tea officially as the National Drink of India.

The dominance of tea in Indian culture

Tea stalls are found in every street and corner of India. The country with one-third the size and four times the population of the US consumes three times the amount of tea as compared to Americans. In figures, the country consumes 837,000 tons of it every year.

Depending upon the region and the blend of tea, the taste of this beverage differs from place to place. Tea is a way of life. From a smallest road-side vendor to a top-rated five-star hotel, everyone serves it with their best efforts. It’s on trains, buses, mills, offices, colleges, planes and almost every place in India you can think of.

Chai is simply more than a cup of tea in India. It has become an integral part of official meetings, cultural activities, meet-ups, hospitality, conferences, symposiums, get-together and the like. The Indian Prime Minister’s ‘chai pe charcha’ (discussion over tea) was introduced as one-to-one interaction with Indians through video conferencing. On his recent visit, Barack Obama thanked Mr. Modi for ‘chai pe charcha’ a private tete-e-tete over tea.

Beyond religions, the beverage has become a drink that everyone in India lives on. In fact, tea stalls in India are no less than a meeting point for people from all walks of life. You may find it surprising that in villages and towns, finding a particular person is easier on his favorite tea-stall than his house. Drinking tea from a saucer has been also used as a signature gesture in many Bollywood movies including ‘Sarkar’ starring Amitabh Bachchan, a renowned Bollywood actor.

Amazing stories associated with teas in India

The term chai-wallah was not known to the world until the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, has spread a word about it. Lots of media covered his story from being a normal chai-wallah to becoming the Prime Minister of India.

New Lucky tea stall in Ahmedabad is the place where you enjoy sipping ‘chai’ by sitting next to a grave! The stall (known as ‘kitli’ in Hindi) is run by a man who started this business selling tea around grave years back. According to the customers, the presence of shrines makes one feel the presence of God and drinking tea there is more than drinking a beverage. May feel that the place is blessed and starting a day with tea here will make all their worries go for the rest of the day.

A local tea-seller in India has visited 16 countries all across the world. The seller has only the ‘kitli’ as his source of income.

]]>http://blog.enjoyingtea.com/blog/chai-in-india-ceylon/feed/0Where does tea grow in India?http://blog.enjoyingtea.com/blog/tea-grow-india/
http://blog.enjoyingtea.com/blog/tea-grow-india/#commentsFri, 07 Nov 2014 14:47:11 +0000Administratorhttp://blog.enjoyingtea.com/?p=390India is home to the largest tea producing regions in the world. Of the many tea-growing regions of India, the three most celebrated are Assam, Darjeeling and Nilgiri. Assam Assam is located in northeast India. It is the largest tea-growing …

India is home to the largest tea producing regions in the world. Of the many tea-growing regions of India, the three most celebrated are Assam, Darjeeling and Nilgiri.

Assam

Assam is located in northeast India. It is the largest tea-growing region in the country. The tea produced here is known as Assamese tea and is mostly grown in the Brahmaputra Valley. This black tea is brightly colored and has strong, malty, raisin-sweet flavors. Interested in Assamese tea? Click here to take a look at EnjoyingTea.com’s variety of Assamese teas.

Darjeeling

Nested in the Mahabharat Range (or Lesser Himalaya) is the famous tea-growing region of Darjeeling. Darjeeling tea is well-known for its true uniqueness and elegance. It is treasured for its rich, golden flavor and its distinctive taste. It has a bold flavor with a fruity aroma. Many consider Darjeeling to be the “champagne” of tea. At EnjoyingTea.com, you can find an exquisite Organic Darjeeling Black Tea, which is sure to awaken your taste buds. Try it out for yourself! Visit EnjoyingTea.com or just click here.

Nilgiri

Nilgiri is in the south of India and is in the mountains of Tamil Nadu. Nilgiri’s teas are known for being distinctively dark with an intense aroma. If you enjoy very fragrant teas with a marvelous, distinctive taste then you will surely love Nilgiri teas. EnjoyingTea.com offers a Nilgiri Black Tea (FBOP), which is sure to awaken your senses. The tea is FBOP (Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe) and of extremely high quality. When you brew this January production tea, you will taste a fruit-like floral character with a satisfying thickness. The flavor profile is unbelievable. You need to try this Tiger Hill grown Black Tea for yourself. Click here to visit EnjoyingTea.com to purchase this tea and to learn more – as a bonus, there are some helpful brewing tips included online!

Although the above three geographical locations are the largest tea producing regions of India, there are five additional tea producing areas, which include: Dooars, Himchal Pradesh, Sikkim, Terai, and Travancore/Kerala. (All of which also produce a variety of delectable teas!) Interested in exploring more teas grown in India? Just click here to visit EnjoyingTea.com’s wide selection of Indian teas!

China is well-known to be one of the largest tea producers in the world. China’s large geographic area has many different regions, which grow a variety of teas. There are four primary tea growing regions:

Jiangbei

This is a large region north of the Yangtze River. The provinces within this area are Anhui, Gansu, Henan, northern Jiangsu, Shaanxi and Shandong. Jiangbei is primarily known for producing Green tea and several other premium teas. Many of the premium teas are produced in the Henan province of Xinyang Maojian and the Anhui province of Lu’an Guapian.

Jiangnan

Jiangnan has the greatest production of tea. Its output comprises of two-thirds of China’s total annual production. It is also along the Yangtze River, although it is found in the southern, lower areas of the river. The provinces along this southern area are Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang and the southern areas of both Anhui and Jiangsu. Jiangnan experiences all four seasons, with plentiful rainfall in Spring and Summer and a dryer Autumn. Many different teas are produced here including Green, Black, Oolong and different scented teas.

China is well-known to be one of the largest tea producers in the world. China’s large geographic area has many different regions, which grow a variety of teas. There are four primary tea growing regions:

Jiangbei

This is a large region north of the Yangtze River. The provinces within this area are Anhui, Gansu, Henan, northern Jiangsu, Shaanxi and Shandong. Jiangbei is primarily known for producing Green tea and several other premium teas. Many of the premium teas are produced in the Henan province of Xinyang Maojian and the Anhui province of Lu’an Guapian.

Jiangnan

Jiangnan has the greatest production of tea. Its output comprises of two-thirds of China’s total annual production. It is also along the Yangtze River, although it is found in the southern, lower areas of the river. The provinces along this southern area are Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang and the southern areas of both Anhui and Jiangsu. Jiangnan experiences all four seasons, with plentiful rainfall in Spring and Summer and a dryer Autumn. Many different teas are produced here including Green, Black, Oolong and different scented teas.

Southern China

The provinces in Southern China are Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Hainan and Taiwan. This region is famous for its Black, Oolong and White teas. And, because of the climate tea can grow here for nearly 10 months!

Southwest China

The Southwest is known as the birthplace of tea. The provinces in Southwest China include Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan and a region of the Tibet Autonomous Region. Green, Black, Post-fermented and Compressed teas are produced here, including the well-known Pu-erh!

EnjoyingTea.com proudly sells a variety of Chinese teas. To choose from our selection of Chinese teas, please visit EnjoyingTea.com or just click here. Not sure what type of tea you are interested in trying? Does an exquisite and delicate tea with a fresh and sweet fragrance sound just delightful? We suggest trying Silver Need White Tea, also known as Bai Hao Yinzhen. This White tea is from the Jiangnan area of China in the Zhejiang province. When brewed, the lovely tea produces a pale, yellow color with a wonderful aroma. As a tip: This tea has high concentrations of poluphenols, which are antioxidants that help fight against cancer-causing radicals and heart disease. To purchase this White Tea, just visit EnjoyingTea.com or click here.

]]>http://blog.enjoyingtea.com/blog/tea-growing-regions-china/feed/0Homemade Green Tea Lattehttp://blog.enjoyingtea.com/blog/homemade-green-tea-latte/
http://blog.enjoyingtea.com/blog/homemade-green-tea-latte/#commentsSat, 04 Jan 2014 06:04:04 +0000Administratorhttp://blog.enjoyingtea.com/?p=362 Green tea lattes have a soothing blend of traditional green tea and the creamy taste of warm milk and honey. They’re easy to make and wonderful to enjoy! How to make a green tea latte (one serving): You will …

]]>http://blog.enjoyingtea.com/blog/homemade-green-tea-latte/feed/0What is Lu An Gua Pian?http://blog.enjoyingtea.com/blog/lu-an-gua-pian/
http://blog.enjoyingtea.com/blog/lu-an-gua-pian/#commentsTue, 10 Dec 2013 02:28:41 +0000Administratorhttp://blog.enjoyingtea.com/?p=334Lu An Gua Pian, is the Chinese name for Emerald Petals Green Tea. Lu An is the region in the Dabie Mountains of the Western Anhui province of China, where the leaves are grown. Gua Pian refers to the term …

]]>Lu An Gua Pian, is the Chinese name for Emerald Petals Green Tea. Lu An is the region in the Dabie Mountains of the Western Anhui province of China, where the leaves are grown. Gua Pian refers to the term melon seeds in Chinese. The name describes the wet tea leaf’s shape thought to resemble melon seeds and so Lu An Gua Pian is also commonly called “Lu An Melon Seeds.” The tea later adapted to the name “Emerald Petals” green tea because of its beautiful look.

This green tea is comprised entirely of delicate, flat, vibrant, emerald green leaves. Unlike most teas, it is picked and processed using only the leaf. The buds and stems are carefully removed and only the first three leaves on each branch are used.

The dried leaves are long and narrow and when brewed, yield a lovely and refreshing floral aroma with a light green color, subtler than its exquisite emerald green leaves.

Emerald Petals green tea is an extremely smooth beverage, with a sweet and silky taste that slowly fills your mouth; accompanied by a long, sweet floral finish. Its popularity dates back to the Tang Dynasty and is known as one of the ten most famous teas of China.

Like other green teas, it shares a variety of health benefits such as lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, strengthening the immune system, reducing stress, improving vision and aiding in the relief of sleep disorders.

To Brew:

Always use fresh water and be careful not to over-boil the water. It is suggested that to brew Lu An Gua Pian tea, you should steep the tea leaves in hot water around 160o to 175o F for one minute for the first and second brewing, and longer for additional brewing. It is also recommended to use glass or porcelain tea ware to enjoy your Emerald Petals green tea.

Want to try Emerald Petals?

Might we suggest a great find? Take a look at our Emerald Petals green tea for your enjoyment.

And if you need new tea ware to enjoy your Lu An Gua Pian tea, just click here to find a variety of glass and other teacups.

]]>http://blog.enjoyingtea.com/blog/lu-an-gua-pian/feed/0The History of the Teabaghttp://blog.enjoyingtea.com/blog/the-history-of-the-teabag/
http://blog.enjoyingtea.com/blog/the-history-of-the-teabag/#commentsWed, 27 Nov 2013 17:45:33 +0000Administratorhttp://blog.enjoyingtea.com/?p=288The history of the (psssst… teabag) Did you know? You’d never guess that the creation of teabags was actually a mistake! In 1908, Thomas Sullivan, a tea importer, decided that in order to cut costs, he would send loose …

You’d never guess that the creation of teabags was actually a mistake!

In 1908, Thomas Sullivan, a tea importer, decided that in order to cut costs, he would send loose tea leaves to customers in silk bags instead of tin cans. When the customers received the silk bags, they thought that they were meant to be dunked and so they steeped the entire bag to brew their tea.

Sullivan did not realize how popular the silk bags were until his most important clients, which he’d moved back to tin cans, began complaining about not receiving their tea in silk bags! His clients enjoyed the simplicity of tea bags versus loose tea leaves.

Because silk bag were quite a hefty price, Sullivan moved to use gauze bags. Teabags quickly gained popularity throughout the United States and soon teabags moved from guaze bags to paper bags as an even more cost efficient production method.

Teabags were a great hit in the United States, but they took far longer to resonate with the British population. However, during WWII there was a tea shortage and so teabags were slowly adopted in the United Kingdom as well. Today, teabags make up over 96% of the British tea market!

While Sullivan delicately bagged his teabags by hand, today they are manufactured using machines to limit air exposure and are then packaged and distributed worldwide.

]]>http://blog.enjoyingtea.com/blog/the-history-of-the-teabag/feed/0Brewing Tea with a Gaiwanhttp://blog.enjoyingtea.com/blog/brewing-tea-with-a-gaiwan/
http://blog.enjoyingtea.com/blog/brewing-tea-with-a-gaiwan/#commentsMon, 28 Oct 2013 01:15:21 +0000Administratorhttp://blog.enjoyingtea.com/?p=262“Gaiwan” refers to a popular type of covered teacup, which has been used in China since the Ming Dynasty, during the mid-1300s. Gaiwans are elegant and simple, often made from porcelain, and consist of a saucer, bowl and lid. Since gaiwans are …

]]>“Gaiwan” refers to a popular type of covered teacup, which has been used in China since the Ming Dynasty, during the mid-1300s. Gaiwans are elegant and simple, often made from porcelain, and consist of a saucer, bowl and lid. Since gaiwans are covered teacups, they can be used in place of a teapot and are excellent to use when brewing teas with delicate aromas and flavors like white, green or oolong teas.

The process to brew tea with a gaiwan is quite simple with a few easy steps to follow:

Bring your water to a boil.

Pour water into the gaiwan teacup.

Measure your tea. The amount of tea that you will add will depend on the size of your gaiwan teacup and the type of tea that you are brewing.

Close the gaiwan, place on the saucer and gently shake it; then allow the tea to steep. The amount of time that you allow your tea to brew will depend on the type of tea that you choose and most teas advise will advise you of the correct brewing time. For example, many green teas brew for 2-3 minutes. This is an important step as it allows the tea to release its lovely aroma.

The next step is to drink your tea! You can either use the gaiwan as your teacup, using the lid to gently push aside floating tea leaves, or use another teacup. To use another teacup, hold the lid with your index finger and carefully pour the tea into your alternative cup. Now, time to enjoy!

As a hint, you may re-steep your tea leaves to continue to enjoy your flavorful, rich tea. During each re-steep you should add slightly more time to the process in order to yield the best flavor and aroma.

Gaiwans are also great for sampling small portions of tea and if you would like to experiment with different flavors! If you are interested in purchasing a gaiwan to try for yourself, EnjoyingTea.com has a wonderful selection of exquisite gaiwans.

]]>http://blog.enjoyingtea.com/blog/brewing-tea-with-a-gaiwan/feed/0Mao Jian Green Teahttp://blog.enjoyingtea.com/blog/mao-jian/
http://blog.enjoyingtea.com/blog/mao-jian/#commentsSat, 19 Oct 2013 16:16:28 +0000Administratorhttp://blog.enjoyingtea.com/?p=258Mao Jian is a popular type of green tea that is from the southeast interior Anhui Province of China. It is grown near Huangshan, or Yellow Mountain, an area rich in its variety of green teas. The best Mao Jian …

]]>Mao Jian is a popular type of green tea that is from the southeast interior Anhui Province of China. It is grown near Huangshan, or Yellow Mountain, an area rich in its variety of green teas.

The best Mao Jian is harvested in early spring. Unlike some teas, when picking Mao Jian only the new tea buds and the leaf nearest to the bud are picked. After being picked, these Chinese tea leaves are gently pan-fried to stop the oxidation process from occurring.

The tea consists of beautiful, dark green, long, curled leaves with silvery tips, which have been firmly rolled and are pointed on both ends. It is well known and treasured for its distinctive, refreshing taste and pleasant aroma and when brewed, it yields a beautiful golden color with a subtle tint of green. Its fragrance is clean and vegetal and its taste is sweet and subtle.

Like other green teas, Mao Jian is caffeinated and contains the same well-known anti-oxidants. The tea’s creamy texture and delicious taste is calming and it is the perfect tea for every day drinking.

Brewing Mao Jian and other green teas is a slightly different process than black tea and so it’s good to keep in mind these simple tips in order to optimize your green tea’s aroma and flavor:

Use fresh water to bring out the best taste

Be careful not to over boil the water, green tea is best at about 180oF; when green tea is brewed too hot it can create a bitter taste and when it is brewed too cold the flavors are not fully extracted

Steeping time matters! Green tea takes less time than black tea; it is best to steep green tea for 2-3 minutes

Try brewing your tea in a tall glass; you are able to watch the shape and color of the tea leaves as they infuse.

If you haven’t yet tried Mao Jian green tea, EnjoyingTea.com offers a lovely Mao Jian in loose leaf form with the most tender of tea shoots. Just click here to purchase Mao Jian green tea so that you may enjoy its full, crisp flavor!

]]>Bi Luo Chun is a type of green tea that comes from the mountains of Dongting in the Suzhou province of China. Bi Luo Chun, also known as Pi Lo Chun, is grown amongst apricot, pear, plum and peach trees in a seemingly utopian climate. Because of this, the tea leaves absorb the fruit blossoms’ lovely scent.

The youngest leaves and buds are harvested in the spring with the unopened bud and one leaf. Once harvested, the fine, tender buds are processed entirely by hand. The three-step process includes picking, sorting and roasting.

1) Picking: The tea is only harvested once a year, in the spring-time, as early as March. The picking step is somewhat tedious since each picking requires both one unopened bud and one leaf.

2) Sorting: The leaves are then sorted by hand, one by one. This step helps to remove any low-quality leaves. Bi Luo Chun should consist solely of young tea buds and leaves and nothing more.

3) Roasting: The last stage is an approximately 15 minute roasting process, which kills enzymes and stops the fermentation process.

Once completely processed, Bi Luo Chun should have developed a natural cover of baby white hairs. The presence of the baby white hairs can be considered a sign of great quality.

When purchasing Bi Luo Chun tea, you should notice that the leaves have a gorgeous, vibrant green color and are uniquely shaped. The shape may resemble little curly snails or spirals, which when poured into hot water (for brewing) move around beautifully. You can watch the dance of leaves by brewing the tea in a transparent glass container, instead of porcelain cups or kettles. Once brewed, you’ll find that the tea leaves produce a full-bodied, floral aroma with a sweet, lingering taste.

If you are interested in trying Bi Luo Chun for yourself, just click here to view one of EnjoyingTea.com’s Bi Luo Chun tea products called Superior Pi Lo Chun, an exquisite choice of high quality.